Competitors tune in with help from Dr Who and City TV.

Budding TV directors and producers at Bristnall Hall Academy pitched their big ideas for the small screen during a one-day workshop organised by the Royal Television Society Midlands Centre.

Nine teams from Bristnall Hall Academy took part in the challenge, which may yet see their winning ideas turned into real features for a show on the exciting new Birmingham City TV channel.

The academy was the first in the region to host the enterprise challenge, which gave them an insight into the television and media industries and the broad range of career options available in the sector.

Supported by Enterprise Education Specialists (EES) the event saw each team work with acclaimed Dr Who script writer William Gallagher before pitching ideas to the judges including Des Tong, director of music and light entertainment for City TV.

The winning Year 9 team pitched an idea for a programme about the lives of past and present teenagers, comparing the difference in music, fashion and life for their parents’ generation compared to their own.

Local TV licence holders City TV, who are going live with Birmingham’s very own TV channel this spring said the winning team would now go forward to a grand final in July.

Des Tong said: “It’s been great seeing the enthusiasm and listening to some great ideas for TV from these students.”

The enterprise challenge is part of an extensive programme of events arranged by EES at Bristnall Hall Academy to help students develop work-related skills and realise their true potential.

Enterprising students recently took part in three Black Country-wide challenges, as part of the EES work-related programme and each team, which visited a host school, won their challenges bringing back three enterprise trophies in a row.

Peter Coley, from EES based at the academy, added: “We hope after the pitch our students gave at the Royal Society for Television workshop there will be a fourth trophy joining the other three.”